October 4-5 2014

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

‘ICU imparting quality education’

Vice-Chancellor of Islamia College University (ICU) Ajmal Khan has said that the universities are like a three-wheeler in which the students, teachers and administration play their due role to impart education and conduct. Addressing a dinner hosted in his honour by the newly established Academic Managers Association (AMA) of the Islamia College Peshawar, he said though his university had a small administrative structure, its officers and managerial staff members were utilising their energies and capabilities to facilitate the process of education and research. He hoped the AMA would organise and activate its potential in serving this process besides looking after its legitimate interest in the matters of the university.

Some 10,000 government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lack electricity, 7,500 are without drinking water, 5000 working without boundary walls and 4000 have no washrooms. According to Provincial Minister for Education Mohammad Atif, 2005 earthquake had destroyed about 3,365 schools, 1,008 schools ruined or demolished by floods and militancy and currently have no building at all and are referred to as shelterless schools while 30 percent of the total 28,500 schools have no boundary walls. Some 46 percent of the existing schools lacked electricity, 48 percent had no lavatories and water was missing in 36 percent of the schools. Enrolment figures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were slightly worse in comparison with year 2011 and 2012 when 9 percent girls and six percent boys were not enrolled in educational institutes.

District Education Officer Gohar Ali on Friday said 120 Maktab schools (seminaries) were being closed in the district and teachers of those schools are being adjusted in regular schools. The Maktab Schools were set up in different parts of the district but there have been no students in these schools for several years. “When we evaluated expenses and teachers’ salaries being incurred on these schools, we decided to wind them up and adjust students in regular schools,” he said.Gohar Ali said the Education Department was spending Rs1.8 million annually on the Maktab Schools.

The independent monitoring unit (IMU) here has traced teachers who have been absent from duty for the last five years. Talking to Dawn, a source in the IMU claimed that two primary school teachers, Nazneen Ara and Kaiful Wara of government primary schools, Lachigram, had been absent from duty since 2009, but the education department did not take any action against them. Requesting not to be named, the source said that it was during monitoring that absenteeism of teachers was detected, which was not possible without collusion of the education department authorities. He said that the cases were taken up with the department after which the proceedings started against the teachers as per service rules. Ultimately, the two teachers were dismissed from service last week, he said.

Pakistan like rest of the world will celebrate World Teachers’ Day with the theme “Invest in the future, Invest in teachers!” on Sunday (today). Each year the day is celebrated to recognise and honour the role of teachers and to put pressure on the governments to take measures for the welfare of teachers and ensure the schools get the right number of teachers. In Pakistan owing to Eid-ul-Azha holidays starting from Sunday, the day is not likely to receive due response though the students would be sending wishes to their best teachers to celebrate the World Teachers’ Day 2014. Because of the holidays a number of NGOs have already organised events to mark the day while many have planned after the Eid holidays.

Much to the disappointment of the heads of state-run educational institutions in Rawalpindi district, the Punjab government has cancelled their Eid holidays. They have been tasked to keep their schools and colleges clean to avoid emergence of dengue larva. `During Eid holidays, we are supposed to remain vigilant in schools and ensure its cleanliness so that our institutions do not provide breeding ground for dengue larva,` said a principal, who wished not to be named. The heads of educational institutions will be assisted by the required class-four employees. President Punjab Teacher Union Rawalpindi, Raja Shahid Murbarik, however, termed the cancellation of Eid holidays injustice with the employees of the education department.

As learning is becoming a universal theme, the Teachers’s Forum sees a great opportunity in Learning (Re)imagined: How the connected society is transforming learning — a book innovation in learning and teaching. In a meeting of the forum on Wednesday, forum president Tayyaba Khan welcomed the publication by The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a leading international initiative driving innovation and collaboration in education. The book is written by Graham Brown-Martin and illustrated with images by Newsha Tavakolian. The book explores how the digitally connected society is transforming learning.

An indigenous on campus workshop for officers of the management cadre of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) concluded on Saturday. The workshop, titled “leadership skills and effective communication”, was arranged with the collaboration of Higher Education Commission (HEC) under a capacity-building programme for officers of the management cadre. HEC Executive Director Dr Mansoor Akbar Kundi was the chief guest at the occasion International trainer Dr Hamid Rafique Khattak, former HEC Learning Innovation Division chief Noor Amna Malik and FJWU Faculty of Arts and Social Science Dean Dr Naheed Zia Khan conducted the workshop, highlighting the importance of administrative and communication skills, leadership an management skills and other leadership and communication skills.

“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” Education is the light that leads a man towards dignity and grace. From material viewpoint, both education and health bring progress and prosperity in individual and collective life of the people. If the individuals of a society remain deprived of education and health facilities, then the whole nation has to pass through a bewildering existence. Sensing this very fact, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly of Pakistan, has written a letter to prime minister for developing a consensus to sign a ‘Charter for Improvement of Education and Health Sectors.’

The World Teachers’ Day will be observed across the globe including Pakistan today (Sunday) with its theme Invest in the Future Invest Teachers. This year teachers day aim is to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers. World Teachers Day was inaugurated on 5 October 1994 by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to commemorate the 1966 joint signing of the Unesco International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommendation concerning the status of teachers. Different seminars and conferences and talk show will held countrywide to highlight the importance of teachers day.

Educational standards in many countries are declining rapidly and progress being compromised because of hiring of untrained teachers, says a policy paper prepared by Unesco`s Institute for Statistics (UIS) and EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR). The paper`s release coincides with the World Teachers Day, being observed on Sunday. The document revealed that 93 countries were required to recruit some four million teachers to achieve the goal of universal primary education (UPE) by 2015. An extension in deadlineto 2030 would need more than 27m recruitments with 24m to replace natural shortfalls, the paper said, adding that the present trend showed that 28 to 30 per cent countries would not meet the needs.

Although differences between Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad could not be resolved, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ordered Bahria University to hold examination of the final year students of the college. Shifa College was initially affiliated with Bahria University but in 2012 it (college) was converted into Tameer-i-Millat University through an act of parliament. When the PMDC was asked to notify conversion of college into a university, the council raised objection that the institution lacked required facilities like faculty and hospital so it could not be given status of a university. Students had to bear the brunt of the tussle between the PMDC and the management of the college. As many as 349 students filed a writ in Islamabad High Court to resolve their issue.

International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) has been marred by administrative mismanagement, which is evident from the fact that eight faculty/departments are being run on ad hoc basis. According to sources, the faculty of Islamic Studies (Usuluddin), which is one of the pioneer departments of IIUI, is being run by Assistant Professor Dr Haroonur Rashid who is working as a deputy dean a post which does not exist. A source said there was no provision for the post of deputy dean in the university`s rules.He said the president of the university, Dr Ahmad Yousif A. Al Draiweesh, was the dean of the faculty of Islamic Studies but most of its affairs were being run by the deputy dean.

The World Teacher’s Day will be observed across the globe including Pakistan today (Sunday) with its theme ‘Invest in the Future, Invest in Teachers.’The government held some cosmetic exercises the other day to commemorate the day at a luxury hotel to please international donors but the core issues of the community were neither highlighted nor they were addressed. Nearly 6,000 teachers of non-formal community schools run by National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) are without salary on the day across Pakistan. Even they will be celebrating Eid-ul-Azha without getting salaries for the last three months. According to officials, the salaries of three months would not be released until the ministry of finance approves the PC-I of the project.

Senior Provincial Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that following the vision of Benazir Bhutto, the Sindh government was taking necessary steps for promotion of education throughout the province. Speaking at a distribution ceremony of stipend ATM cards to girls students of classes IX and X at Government Girls High School here, he said that the Sindh government had decided to pay Rs 2,500 stipends in urban areas and Rs 3,500 in rural areas to 400,000 female students of classes IX and X to encourage them.

Students of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Law College Larkana continued their protest on Saturday under the leadership of Zulfiqar Ali Meerani, Aamir Soho and others against the alleged illegal fees taken by the college. They chanted slogans against the principal and demanded an inquiry and the provision of justice. The Students Actions Committee Shahdad Kot also held demonstration against the OPS principal. Faisal Mugheri, Yunis Umerani, Mujahid Aiwan and others participated in the demonstration.

A lecture on “Impact of History Writing in India and Pakistan” was organised on Saturday by the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation, where eminent historian and Professor of History Dr Mubarak Ali shed light on different trends and briefly outlined how the history and different approaches to the history have changed with time. On the occasion, Director SIUT Professor Adib Rizvi welcomed the guests and the participants. “In the colonial period when power was centred with the masters of colonies, historians used to applaud the colonial powers and they had nothing to do with the people and their problems. After the Second World War the world became bipolar- the East and the West. Colonial historians used to write about the benefits of the colonial power, while Marxists started highlighting the miseries of the people supporting liberation struggle,” Dr Mubarak Ali said.

Sindh Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has dismissed criticism of the new education policy by political parties as `unwante d and unnecessary` and said its critics will soon realise its importance. `We have introduced a mature and viable policy under which 85,000 admission forms have been received so far at different colleges in Karachi while merit lists have been put on display. Sixteen claim centres have been set up where objections to the education policy can be lodged,` said the minister. He was talking to reporters after distributing a newly introduced `stipend card` among 2,769 girls atthe government girls` higher secondary school here on Friday.

The Sindh government will pay stipend to 400,000 girl students in secondary schools. This has been stated by Senior Provencal Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khoro while addressing a function in Sukkur. He said evening shifts for female students would also be started after recruitment of female teachers.

Senior Provincial Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that following the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the Sindh government was taking necessary steps for promotion of education throughout the province. Speaking at a distribution ceremony of stipend ATM cards to female students of classes IX and X at Government Girls High School here, he said that the Sindh government had decided to pay Rs 2500 stipends in urban areas and Rs 3500 in rural areas to 400,000 female students of classes IX and X to encourage them.

Special Assistant to CM Sindh for Culture and Tourism Sharmila Faruqui spent the morning with children at the Government Girls lower secondary school Neelum Colony Clifton here. She told the students of class-1 the tale of ‘Choontiyoan kay Jootay’ a curious tale about a cobbler living in a fashion-conscious ants colony, said a statement on Friday. The students enjoyed the animated storytelling session, joining in with eager responses, as she acted out parts of the story. Sharmila enjoyed her time with the children, promising to be back soon with another story about a ‘Raja and Rani’. Sharmila started her visit of the Government Girls lower secondary school Neelum Colony Clifton with a tour of the school facilities, interacting with students and teachers, especially regarding the different subjects that were being taught.

Protest was led by Din Bhalai and Manthar Bhalai in Bhan Saeedabad against the closure of school in Bhan Saeed Abad. They said that school is closed for many months, but, no one is paying attention towards it. They appealed to Senior Minister for Education Mr Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for the opening of the school and for the appointment teachers to save the education of above hundred children.

Parents protested against the torture of teachers’ of Government Middle School in Telegraph Colony Kotri. They said that paresha Gopang and Seerat Korejo are severely injured due to teachers’ torture. They demanded for taking legal action against the teachers.

Sindh Angro Coal Mining Company and The Citizen Foundation has made agreement for the establishment of TCF schools in Thar, district Tharparkar. In the agreement, six primary and 3 secondary TCS schools will be established, up to 2016-2017. These schools will be established in Block Two around the Islam Kot of Thar. Agreement was signed by Mr Shams Udin Shaikh and Syed Asad Ayub from TCS.

Protest against Management of Private School, District Naushahro Feroz

Parents protested against the Management of Private School in front of Press Club Moro. They said that management has taken 200 rupees for plantation and 50 rupees for coloring the school building from each student, but, they did not do so and has taken away all these funds by their own. They said, in spite of getting heavy fees, management of private school gets separate money for coloring of school building from the students. They demanded legal action against management of private school.

Protest against principal of Degree College Shahdadkot, district Qambar Shahdadkot

Students’ Action Committee protested against the principal of Boys’ Degree College Shahdadkot. Protest was led by Younis Umrani, Aftab Khokhar and others. They said, Principal Ahmed Nawaz Kango is a corrupt person and has taken away all the funds of college. They appealed from PPP MNA Faryal Talpur, PPP MPA Mir Nadir Khan Magsi and Higher Authorities to take notice of it and take legal action against him.

Parents and students protested against the Head Master Muhammad Shareef Tanwar of Government High School Agra, near Kamal Dero. They alleged that management of college is getting illegal money for admission and for issuing certificates to students. They appealed to Senior Minister for Education Mr Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for taking legal action against the head master of school.

(Daily Awami Awaz Page # 5)

Protest for construction of school building, Karachi

Villagers and students of village Dodo Korai, near Nao Dambalo, protested for the construction of school building. Villagers including Mohammad, Ghulam Hussaina, Abbar Ali, Ali Mohammad and others protested in front of Awami Awaz Office and demanded immediate construction of the school building.

(Daily Awami Awaz Page # 5)

Protest for the removal of case from P T Alif Leader and teacher, District Shaheed Benazirabad

Teachers protested for the removal of case of kidnapping from PT Alif leader and teacher Mumtaz Sial. They boycotted of classes and closed numbers of schools in Doulatpur Safan to record their protest. The protest was led by Mr Ali Dost Malookani, Sain Bux Dahri and others. They said, DSP and SHO have deliberately filed case against Mumtaz Sial. They demanded immediate removal of DSP and SHO of Qazi Ahmed, otherwise, they would expand the circle of protest across the district.

(Daily Awami Awaz Page # 5)

Sindhi is not Taught in Private schools in the Sukkur Region

According to constitution of Pakistan private schools has to teach Sindhi language in the schools and has to give free education to at least 10% of its enrollment to poor and needy students across the Sindh. But, unfortunately, out of 1040 private schools 95% private schools are not providing free education to the poor in the Sukkur region. Management of these schools provides fake figure to the Government of Sindh that they are providing free education to 10% to the poor students. On the hand, Director of private schools, Sukkur, said many Sindhi Schools are teaching Sindhi, whereas, some schools do not teach Sindhi, as the feel difficulty in teaching Sindhi in their schools.

(Daily Jeejal page # 3)

Program Organized for distribution of free books among the students, district Ghotki

Program was organized in the Government Elementary Middle School village Shaho Ander for distributing free books among the students. On the occasion, Ms Shahnaz Rana, president, Pakistan Muslim League, district Ghotki and PPP leader distributed books among the students. While speaking on the occasion, she said, education is the most important in this modern era and parents should send their children to schools so that they could get education to compete the world. Program was attended by the parents.

Students’ Protest against the Muhammad Medical College, district Meerpur Khas

Nationalist Political Party JSQM protested against the management of Mohammadi Medical College Meerpur Khas. Leaders of the political party allegedly said management of Mohammadi Medical College is not giving admission to Sindhi students and is bothering them in different ways. Mr Ghulam Rasool Khoso, Ashfaq Laghari and Naeem khoso warn management of Mohammadi medical college to stop injustice to Sindhi Students and demanded immediate removal of the case filed against Faqeer Yousif Mangrio, JSQM district president, otherwise, protest would be extended cross the district.

Teachers and Students protested for the forced removal of the principal of Degree College Bozdar Wada, district Ghotki. Teachers and Students boycotted classes for two days and protested against the forced removal of Mr Qurban Ali, Principal Degree College Bozadar Wada. They said it is injustice to remove Mr Qurban Ali Bozdar forcefully and to replace him with junior lecturer. Protest led by Professor Ayub Mari, he said that Director College Sukkur has removed Mr Qurbal Ali without any reason. They demanded immediate reappointment of Mr Qurban Ali, otherwise, they would prolong the protest.

Students observed hunger strike and protest against the college administration for 30th days. They alleged that fees have been increased illegally and college is lacking basic facilities, and all these funds have been taken away by the principal to meet its personal needs. They demanded from the higher authorities to take notice of it and to investigate the funds and to provide facilities to the college.

Program organized in the Government Boys College Makli to pay tribute to sincere and committed teachers. Speakers said that committed teachers promote education and they spread knowledge and ethics around them. Therefore, they should be paid tribute. Mr Mohammad Safder Thattawi, Mr Mohammad Rafiq Jokhiyo and others addressed the program.

Principal Degree College Shahdadkot Protested against the Citizen Action Committee

Mr Ahmed Nawaz Kango, principal Degree College Shahdadkot, district Qambar Shahdadkot, conducted Press Conference at Shah Bhittai Media Center Shahdadkot and said that all students are equal to me and environment of college is going well and all the classes are going properly, but, some student groups are spoiling the environment of college. He further said, those who are protesting are not the students of our college. They are just blackmailing for their personal gains, but, I inform them that they would receive disappointment, nothing else.

Protests for the Salaries by the teachers in District Khairpur and Naushahro Feroz

Two Separate protests were conducted by the number of teachers in district Naushahro Feroz and Khairpur Mirs. Teachers said they have been performing their duties, but, since last six month they have not received their salaries, which are the injustice to them. They alleged that Senior Minister for Education Mr Nisar Ahemd Khuhro has stopped our salaries. They chanted slogans against the Sindh Government.

Protest against the closure of construction work of Benazir Medical Complex, Malir, Karachi

Citizens of Malir, Karachi protested against the closure of construction work of Benazir Medical Complex. They alleged that Mr Muzfar Shujra, Coordinator Inspection Team, has been formed by Chief Minister, has stopped the construction work. They said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had announced medical complex in 1993, but, its work started in 2012. Now, its construction has been stopped again. They said conspiracy has been hatched against the Benazir Medical Complex. They and demanded from the PPP Chairman Mr Bilawal Bhutto to take notice of it to start its work immediately.

Teachers Protested against the Qazi Ahmed Police, District Shaheed Benazirabad

Teachers protested against the Qazi Ahmed Police who had Lodged FIR against the teacher and PT Alif leader Mumtaz Sial, in front of the press Club Qazi Ahmed. Teacher also filed petition against the DSP and SHO for filing fake FIR against PT Alif. On the other hand, Court has called these police officers on October 14, 2014. Protestors condemned the act of police and demanded removal of case from the teacher Mr Mumtaz Sial. Complete Story: http://sindhexpress.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=130195997&Issue=NP_HYD&Date=20141005

School without Doors, Windows and Fans, district Badin.

Doors, windows and fans have been stolen from the newly constructed school building in village Andehlo, district Badin. Before starting the school, things were stolen. On the other hands, above 250 students are compelled to study on the ground due to ruined old school building. Villagers demanded to shift school from old building to new one.

Medical school quotas

The proposal by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to allot 50 per cent of medical school seats to male students is unfair. Admissions into medical schools need to be based solely on merit, rather than on gender or provincial affiliations. The medical discipline is one that requires utmost care in selection of candidates as they will eventually be responsible for human lives. Thankfully, the letter submitted by the PMDC to the Punjab health department in this regard was reviewed carefully and the proposal, for now, will not be implemented. However, it must be ensured that no such proposal, which attempts to allot gender-based quotas in medical schools, is entertained in the future either.